Unsung Heroes Explained

Unsung Heroes
Director:People's Artiste Ryu Ho-son, Ko Hak-lim
Starring:Charles Robert Jenkins
Kim Ryong-lin
Kim Jung-hwa
Jung Woon-mo
James Joseph Dresnok
Music:People's Artiste Kim Rin Ok
Merited Artiste Kim Kil Hak
Cinematography:People's Artiste Jong Gyu Wan
Editing:Merited Artiste Pak Su Ryo
Studio:Korean Film Studio
Distributor:Mokran Video
Korean Film Export & Import Corporation
Runtime:1315 minutes
Country:North Korea
Language:Korean
Native Name:
Child:yes
Hide:no
Header:none
Hanja:이름 없는 들
Mr:Irŭm Ŏmnŭn Yŏngungdŭl
Rr:Ireum Eomneun Yeongungdeul
Northkorea:yes

Unsung Heroes, also known as Unknown Heroes or more literally as Nameless Heroes, is a North Korean war drama mini-series about a spy in Seoul during the Korean War. Over twenty hours long, it was filmed and released in multiple parts between 1978 and 1981. It was the recipient of the Kim Il-sung Medal.

Production and reaction

The production of Unsung Heroes began in or around 1978 on the initiative of Kim Jong-il when he took charge of the country's propaganda affairs.[1]

Unsung Heroes received a widespread favourable reception in the domestic market, according to North Korean public media. Lead actor Kim Ryong-lin, who played the hero Yu Rim, stated that it was one of his favourite roles in over 20 years of acting; in a 1981 interview, he remarked that people had begun calling him Yu Rim instead of his real name after the series began, which he actually enjoyed because of his admiration for the character. Actress Kim Jung-hwa, who played female lead Kim Soon-hee, initially felt that she was unsuited for the role, as she had no prior military experience, or even experience playing a spy on-screen; her only preparation consisted of reading several books and interviewing real spies. The director Ryu Ho-son stated that his favourite scene was the one from the "Madonna Teahouse" in Part 5, in which former lovers Yu Rim and Kim Soon-hee each learn that the other is a North Korean agent.

Unsung Heroes was also responsible for propelling American defectors James Joseph Dresnok and Charles Robert Jenkins to minor celebrity status in North Korea. However, it did not receive public attention in the United States until 1996, when the U.S. Department of Defense obtained a copy of the movie; a report issued by five of their analysts identified Jenkins and one other unnamed American (later discovered to be Dresnok) as actors in the movie, providing the first evidence in three decades that Jenkins was still alive. Dresnok's popularity in his role was such that people in North Korea routinely referred to him as "Arthur," the name of the character he played in the film.[2]

Unsung Heroes was broadcast on television in China in 1982, and released on DVD in 2003 by Dalian Audiovisual Publishing House. It was also screened in Japan during the Kitakyushu Biennial 2007. Its theme song "Embrace the Song of Happiness", composed by Chŏn Tong-u, remains widely known in North Korea; Grand National Party member Yu Hong-jun, head of South Korea's Cultural Heritage Administration, became the center of controversy in 2005 when he sang the song at an official dinner while visiting North Korea.

Plot

The plot of Unsung Heroes is partially based on actual historical events during the Korean War, but many names and details were changed. The movie opens with an unidentified spy master giving instructions to protagonist Yu Rim, a Korean expatriate in the United Kingdom working as a journalist, who is ordered to proceed to Seoul and gather intelligence on the United States Forces Korea. Yu Rim arrives in Korea in 1952, and he first contacts South Korean officer Park Mu. Initially, he only has three contacts in Seoul: Park Mu, the chief press officer for the Republic of Korea Army, Janet O'Neill, the wife of senior American intelligence official Dr. Kelton, and Lee Hong-sik, his handler, through whom Yu also runs into his old lover Kim Soon-hee, who is apparently employed by the United States Counter Intelligence Corps, and is introduced to Colonel Klaus. Yu begins gathering intelligence on a coup plot by rightist South Korean general Sin Jae-sin. Lee helps him pass back this information to North Korea using his unwitting friend Kim Su-gyong as a courier. Lee is suspected by a US counter intelligence agent Martin who found Lee takes care of homeless kids. Soon after, Lee is killed in a shootout with CIC agents, including Kim Soon-hee, leaving Yu unable to pass his crucial intelligence back to his government. Yu calls Lee from a bar, but after realizing the person on the other end of the line is not Lee, hangs up immediately. A waitress in that bar is subsequently arrested and tortured by Colonel Klaus, who learns that a man suspected to be Yu was seen making the phone call.

Yu flees to a Hong Kong safe house run by a North Korean singer. He is instructed to return to Seoul and contact an agent code-named White Horse. However, he is suspicious of White Horse and sets a trap for him which reveals that he is working with Colonel Klaus. White Horse is then killed by an unknown person. Yu obtained the information from Janet O'Neill that John Foster Dulles is visiting Europe to get reinforcements. Yu meets Lewis, an army lieutenant, and converts him to Communism to relay this information; Lewis stages his own kidnapping so that he can disappear to the North for training, and later returns to Seoul. Two months later, Yu receives a coded message on Voice of Korea instructing him to contact an agent named Diamond, who turns out to be his old lover Kim Soon-hee, ostensibly working for the Americans, but really a double agent for North Korean intelligence. With Dulles's agenda exposed to the media, the US plans a battle to demonstrate their superiority, but Yu obtains this information from Park Mu. The Americans fail to get more reinforcements from their European allies and are defeated by a well prepared Korean People's Army.

Yu continues to gather intelligence on General Sin's coup attempt, this time passing messages back to Pyongyang by way of a radio operator disguised as a disabled veteran who begs outside hotels. Yu hides messages in cigarette filters, which he then throws on the ground near the beggar. However, he is unaware that he is being followed by the CIC, who are filming his activities. Colonel Klaus hears about a North Korean spy disguised as a veteran, and begins reviewing video tapes to check on Yu's activities. Kim saves the day by cutting the scenes out of the tapes to avoid further suspicion falling on Yu, but the disappearance of the scenes triggers Klaus' suspicion towards Kim herself. Klaus stages a test of loyalty for her, in which she is kidnapped and threatened with execution by American agents in Hokkaidō, Japan pretending to be Communists; however, Kim correctly senses this is a trap, and escapes by killing the agents.

Park Mu realizes that Yu and Kim are spies. Klaus discovers that Yu was the one who leaked out intelligence. Park is pushed by Klaus, and kills Kim who tries to protect Yu. Later, Yu kills Park for revenge.

At the end of the series, the North Korean army starts new attacks, and forces the allies to negotiate for peace. Due to Yu's efforts, Sin Jae-sin's coup is stopped by South Korean president Syngman Rhee's agents. Sin and Klaus commit suicide and Yu leaves Korea.

Characters

Episodes

YearNo.Korean titleEnglish translationHanjaMcCune-ReischauerRevised Romanisation
19781《적후에서》Behind Enemy Lines《敵後에서》Chŏkhu esŏJeokhu eseo
2《적후에서 또 적후에로》Behind Enemy Lines Again《敵後에서 또 敵後에로》Chŏkhu esŏ tto Chŏkhu eroJeokhu eseo tto Jeokhu ero
19793《적후에서 홀로》Alone Behind Enemy Lines《敵後에서 홀로》Chŏkhu esŏ HolloJeokhu eseo Hollo
4《옛성터에서》In Ancient Ruins《옛城터에서》Yessŏngtŏ esŏYesseongteo eseo
5《금강석》Diamond《金剛石》KŭmgamsŏkGeumgamseok
6《한밤중의 저격사건》Shooting at Midnight《한밤中의 狙擊事件》Hanbamjung'ŭi ChŏgyŏksagŏnHanbamjung'eui Jeogyeoksageon
7《정적속에서의 전투》Battle in the Midst of Calm《靜寂속에서의 戰鬪》Chŏngjŏksok'ŭi ChŏntuJeongjeoksok'eui Jeontu
19808《위험한 대결》A Dangerous Confrontation《危險한 對決》Uihŏmhan TaegyŏlUiheomhan Daegyeol
9《안개작전》Operation Fog《안개作戰》AngaejakjŏnAngaejakjeon
10《위기》Peril《危機》UigiUigi
11《일요일에 있은 일》What Happens on Sunday《日曜日에 있은 일》Ilyoil e Issŭn IlIlyoil e Isseun Il
12《웃음속에 비낀 그늘》The shade cast by laughter《웃음속에 비낀 그늘》Usŭmsok e Pikkin KŭnŭlUseumsok e Bikkin Geuneul
13《판문점》Panmunjeom《板門店》PanmunjŏmBanmunjeom
14《죽음의 섬》Island of Death《죽음의 섬》Chukŭmŭi SŏmJugeumui Seom
15《달없는 그밤에》On that Moonless Night《달없는 그밤에》Talŏmnŭn Kŭbam eDaleomneun Geubam e
16《전투는 계속된다》The Battle Continues《戰鬪는 繼續된다》Chŏntunŭn Kyesok ToendaJeontuneun Gyesok Doenda
17《유인》Seduction《誘引》Yu'inYu-in
18《운명》Destiny《運命》UnmyŏngUnmyeong
198119《붉은 저녁노을》Evening Glow《붉은 저녁노을》Polkŭn Chŏnyŏk NoŭlBolgeun Jeonyeok No-eul
20《우리는 잊지 않는다》We do Not Forget《우리는 잊지 않는다》Urinŭn Ijji AnnŭndaUrineun Ijji Anneunda

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bärtås. Magnus. Ekman. Fredrik. Hirviöidenkin on kuoltava: Ryhmämatka Pohjois-Koreaan. 2014. Tammi. Helsinki. fi. 978-951-31-7727-0. All Monsters Must Die: An Excursion to North Korea. Eskelinen. Heikki. 173.
  2. .
  3. [Charles Robert Jenkins]
  4. News: 北 혼혈인, 공민권 박탈 …… 후대생산 불가 (Civil rights of mixed-race people in North Korea abrogated; not allowed to have children). Daily NK. Han. Yeong-jin. 8 April 2006. 18 April 2008.
  5. https://koryogroup.com/blog/nameless-heroes-in-colour Classic North Korean film about and starring US defectors has been converted into colour